A casebook is a 'compilation of abstracts from instructive cases on a particular subject, usually with commentary and questions about the cases, designed as a teaching aid.' 'These cases have been carefully selected and carefully edited by the casebook author based on what the author wants you to learn' . . . . But do all casebooks on the same subject edit the facts of the same cases the same way? That is, do the “essential” and “critical” facts remain the same from author to author?
--Kathleen D. Fletcher, Casebooks, Bias, and Information Literacy--Do Law Librarians Have a Duty? 40 Legal Reference Services Quarterly 184 (2021) (internal citations omitted) (emphasis added).
Casebook bias, stemming from the selection and editing of legal cases primarily by individuals of the same race or gender, can inadvertently perpetuate a narrow viewpoint and undermine the richness of legal education. Integrating diverse case perspectives is crucial for fostering a more inclusive understanding of the law, ensuring that students are exposed to a broader spectrum of societal and legal issues.
In April 2023, the LRC DEIA committee created a master list of 1L cases taught at USD during the 2023-24 school year, cross-referenced those cases with where they appeared in books like Integrating Doctrine and Diversity and Feminist Judgments, and created an online tool, with direct links to that exact page numbers in the named book(s).
For each 1L subject listed, navigate using the table of cases to link to diverse case perspectives. The column on the left includes the case name and link to the full-text in Westlaw. The column on the right includes links to specific pages where the case is discussed within different textbooks and supplements. This list will be continuously updated as the body of diverse case perspectives continues to grow. Subjects include: